Abraham was very old by now. But
before his death he wanted to make sure that Isaac get the right
wife. He realised that the Canaanite women were unbelievers and he
didn't want Isaac to marry one of them. And he also didn't want
Isaac to leave Canaan to go back to Abraham's home country, because
Abraham wanted Isaac to stay within the land promised to him by
God. So Abraham sent for his oldest servant, in charge of his
household, Eliezer, and asked him to travel to Abraham's relatives
and find a wife for Isaac there. He bound him by an oath that he
will do that. Eliezer agreed, but wanted to be relieved from his
oath if he cannot find a suitable wife that will leave her family
to come and marry Isaac. And Abraham agreed. But notice what
Abraham says before Eliezer leaves:
"God will send His angel ahead
of you, and He will see to it that you find a young woman there to
be my son's wife." Genesis 24:7
Abraham trusted God to find the
right wife for his son. He also believed that God will provide. And
sure enough, Eliezer followed in the wonderful example set by his
master. Abraham had a wonderful godly influence on his household.
Not only was he an 'honoured prince' in the area, he was also
highly regarded in his household and he drew them closer to God as
well. As I said last week, Abraham's life is a wonderful example
for us to follow.
Now Eliezer left immediately and
travelled with ten camels loaded with gifts, the very best of what
his master owned. And the moment he arrived at a well just
outside the village where Abraham's brother Nahor had settled, he
dedicated his mission to the Lord:
"O Lord, God of my master," he
prayed. "Give me success and show kindness to my master, Abraham.
Help me to accomplish the purpose of my journey." Genesis
24:12
It is so wonderful to me how he and
Abraham asked God's guidance in seeking a wife for Isaac. They gave
the matter into God's hands and trusted Him to help them.
Besides giving your life to God,
the biggest choice you need to make in your life is who to marry.
It is even a bigger choice than your career. And therefore God's
guidance is of the utmost importance. Most people follow their
feelings and marry the first person that makes them feel good about
themselves only later to discover that that feeling disappeared
after a while. God's advice and God's guidance in choosing the
right person to marry should be your first stop. Ask God to give
you the right man/woman, ask Him to guide you, ask Him for
confirmation once you have found someone you liked, and stay on
your knees and wait for the peace of God that transcends all
understanding. God has the best spouse in mind for you. He wants
the two of you to accomplish His purposes together. Give the choice
over to Him. You will find that He will help you just as He helped
Abraham and Eliezer. He wants to help you. Do not marry the first
eligible person that comes along, but rather trust in Him for the
right person.
And if you are married already and
have children, be like Abraham and pray that your children will
find the right person to marry one day. Your prayers can guide them
and help them to find the right one.
It is such a wonderful thing if you
pray, obtain God's guidance and marry the right person. A marriage
built on the foundation of Jesus Christ is such a wonderful
testimony to the world. It portrays how Christ is the Bridegroom
and how the church is His bride, it is a testimony of how much He
loves us and it is a testimony of holy matrimony that will last
forever and ever.
Father please help those still
seeking to find the right person to marry. Father You know what an
important choice it is and I pray today that You will help them and
guide them along the best pathway for their lives. May they find
the right one and may they be blissfully happy and build their
marriage on Your solid foundation, Jesus Christ. Amen